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Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Paintbox Addict

Tiny Daler-Rowney watercolor box

Some people can't live without Louboutins. I can't live with out paintboxes. I'm a 'pan' person not a paint tube person. The formula is different. Paint comes up on your brush more easily from a pan than from dried tube paint. Plus Europe is more pan-oriented so I came to the right place. Not just because of the Victorians took paintboxes with them as they crossed the Sahara. In the US art stores can't be bothered with tiny pans. Tubes are an easier sell. But enough paintbox trivia.

Someone sent me this book thinking I'd be interested, but its the cover that enthralled me.

*Here's a hot watercolor tip! All new boxes come 'unseasoned'. When you try to mix colors they'll instantly bead up in a most unsatisfactory way. The cure? Put a strong dark color like ultramarine blue or a dark Umber brown coating on the tin and leave it. Then wash off and do again several times. NEVER take Brillo or scouring powder to your box. You'll ruin the finish pronto.

At the SIMP salon of miniatures show on Sunday this dreamy set of paintboxes make any addict's heart beat faster...

Darling N. wants to fix me up with a nice Frenchman. But she's too late! Walking round her neighborhood I fell deeply, madly for this little one. What Frenchman stands a chance against this?

27 comments:

I remember the thrill a new paint box at the beginning of the school year. Couldn't wait to mess it up properly! Not to forget the Zeichenblock with Dürer's hare on the cover, always the first to get a color wash.

I love your addiction..I am not even a painter and have the addiction..That is a great tip since I am awaiting a tin bx from the UK..That little wood box looks totally interesting too Carol..You are right about macarons..I really enjoy L'Occitane products..I only have 2 small samples but love them..La Ferme De La Huppe..in 2008 offered them in our bathrooms..smart:)We have a store in Mtl..it's lovely..

Thank you for easing my guilt...I bought a new watercolor box of Schminke pans for no good reason at all...except that I agree with you about how much better the pas re-wet than tube paint. Who made that yummy wooden box?

Carol, the paintboxes are wonderful but it takes someone talented (YOU!) to be able to create something beautiful with them!Thank you for sharing your gifts with us!(PS Darling N sounds like a good friend!)

You might try this website: http://www.marches-producteurs.com/ My French is un petit but it looks like this site might be helpful. There was also a mention of it on Chowhound, a forum for foodies: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/782569I'm an artist in Oklahoma, love France and Paris Breakfast! Mais oui! --Jude

Great post! Reminds me of the morning we spent doing paint testing! So many great colors! One of my favorite paint boxes is an Altoids box with 10 half pans, a travel brush, 4 pencil (subs), a pencil extender, a small tube of water, and some watercolor paper in the lid to use as a palette for sketching.

I have the addiction, too! You've got check this guy out, I've just received my very special paintbox.You can have it in any colour you like, be it shocking pink or passion red, you name it.His travel palette is just gorgeous.http://www.littlebrassbox.com/product.html

Thanks I'd forgotten about these beautiful boxes.I used to want one like crazy but they are so pricy.At those prices the paint should NOT bead up on the mixing surface IMHO.but it does in the sample pictures...Enjoy!

Oh, now you're talking--LOVE these. I, too, have a ton of pans, but a few favorites. I am not a big fan of tube paints either--you wind up with so much paint on the brush, I think...at least for me. Gorgeous washes, Carol!

So glad I popped in this morning, Carol. The rain in Paris is dismal today but now I'm looking at it positively, imagining everything as splashes of colour. So inspirational, want to buy myself a paintbox just for the fun!